USAnudist.com

E-Bulletin July 31, 2008 - Volume 2, Issue 16

It’s Convention Time

It’s less than two weeks until the 77th annual AANR Convention and Annual Meeting, August 11-17, at Turtle Lake Resort in Union City, Michigan. The event will be jam-packed with activities, sports, great food and seminars, as well as Association business. Can’t make it to Convention this year? Stay tuned. We’ll have details in an upcoming issue of the E-Bulletin and the October issue of The Bulletin. Click here for more information about Turtle Lake Resort or call 866-321-4710.

(more…)

Caliente Resort recently was dropped from AANR membership for it’s connection with a swinger’s group and for allowing the group to host parties on Caliente property.  Many of the Caliente residents and members are upset at this turn of events and are considering several actions, including legal action.

What I see as the major conflict is that the original concept of Caliente was to be the pinnacle in nudist resorts, and has changed those standards as time passed.  Since the ground-breaking 10 years ago, the ownership/management has changed several times, and with each cycle, the rules changed.

Under the original concept, Caliente was to be a high-end traditional nudist resort meeting the standards of the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) and offering a nudist destination for vacationers and homes for those wanting to move to Florida and live or retire in a nudist environment.  Due to the changes in club policies, Caliente is no longer a nudist resort, but instead, is a clothing optional resort, trying to become another high ticket, sexually charged destination such as Hedonism II & III, Desire, or Sea Mountain Spas.

Caliente says they are trying to attract a younger clientele but a more reasonable assumption would be that they were trying to attract more people, of any age, to spend even more money in the resort and make even more profits.  There have been comments that Caliente invited the swingers because they were losing money and on the verge of having to close.  Suggesting that Caliente is losing money is like saying Exxon is failing in the oil business.

There are a lot more swinger’s clubs than there are nudist clubs.  I’d be foolish to deny that there are some who share both the nudist and swinger lifestyles, but there are many more nudists who have no desire to associate with swinger activities. By allowing these activities occur within the confines of a club known by the general public as a nudist resort can do nothing but make the unknowing assume these two very diverse lifestyles are similar, which is far from the truth.

This is not what the original nudist members and residents contracted for.  They invested a large sum buying homes in a place where they could practice their non-sexual nudist lifestyle. Imagine if your nice middle class neighborhoods suddenly decided that it would be nice to have a porno shop and strip club open next to the local park.  If swingers want to enjoy the nudist lifestyle, we welcome you, but don’t swing in our backyard and we won’t be nude in yours.

International crowd boosts ‘nakations’ to Orlando area

Eloisa Ruano Gonzalez |Sentinel Staff Writer

July 22, 2008

“It’s easy packing. You don’t need a suitcase,” said Harrie Canhout, 44, from the Netherlands.

Canhout, his wife and three children, ages 18, 13 and 11, are on a three-week nudist vacation at Cypress Cove on Pleasant Hill Road. It’s the Canhouts’ second trip there after learning about it online a few years ago.

(more…)

Monday an article, appearing in the New York Post, about things to do nude in New York made the talk shows.  On Regis and Kelly, guest host Bryant Gumble and Kelly Rippa discussed the article and then went on a side conversation about visiting nude beaches.

Later in the day the story appeared on the United Press International website, so I’m sure it will be making the rounds this week.

Unfortunately, there was no mention of the local nudist clubs and no mention was made of the nude beaches at Fire Island and Sandy Hook.

Here’s the original article

(more…)

At the 2004 Super Bowl halftime show, as Justin Timberlake sang “Rock Your Body” onstage with Janet Jackson and reached the last few lines of the song — “Let’s do something, let’s make a bet, ’cause I gotta have you naked by the end of this song” — he reached across her body and pulled off part of her bustier, exposing most of her right breast:

The response was immediate… While a few expressed outrage, the majority were rewinding their tapes and TiVo’s to see it over and over.  Within hours, the internet was filled with close-ups of Jackson’s breast and nipple shield she was wearing.  Sales of nipple shields skyrocketed.  This was not the outrageous event that the detractors wanted to make it out to be.

However, the Federal Communications Commission decided to take the “family values” route, even though previously, it was required that something much more outrageous was required to warrant such a fine.  The police drama, “NYPD Blue” often showed completely nude actors, tastefully depicted, with no major fines.  In this case, the FCC bowed under the minority pressure and fined CBS $550,000.00.

This Federal Appeals ruling rejecting the FCC fine against CBS is a sign that not all beauracuries are in the pocket of the vocal minority.  While it’s not a major victory for nudism and naturism, it is a glimmer of hope that the repressed attitudes of the USA are on their way to becoming more in line with the rest of the world.

(more…)

With all the hype about the aging of nudism, here’s a treat for the young and young at heart.

Ask a Puppet - part 3 - Ralph promotes nudism
Ralph the puppet fields yet another question about his fabulous fur and why people have this bizarre urge to cover their bodies.

(more…)

AANR Clubs Weekly Report
July 18, 2008

Erich Schuttauf, Executive Director
AANR Member Thoughtfully Leaves Planned Gift to AANR
This week we were saddened to learn of the passing of a life member of AANR from Arizona who died late last spring. Included with the communication which we received from his probate attorney was news of a planned gift to the Association which he provided in his will in the amount of $10,000.

As we compile more information on this lifelong member and his very thoughtful gift and consult with his family about his wishes, it is our hope to prepare a fitting article in The Bulletin and to honor his generosity during AANR’s Partners in Planned Giving reception at the upcoming convention at Turtle Lake Resort.

Planned givers are recognized each year at this event, as well as with a place on a wall of honor in our Kissimmee headquarters. If you or a member of your club would like additional information or assistance with making a planned gift we invite you to contact us at try-nude@aanr.com .
(more…)

(more…)

After being suspended in May for associating themselves with swinger activity, Caliente Resort has relinquished it’s membership in the American Association for Nude Recreation.  Over the past month, conversations have flourished in nudist circles about the appropriateness of Caliente’s marketing scheme, and it’s affect on nudism.

Many nudists applauded the opening of Caliente as a high end nudist destination but that approval has diminished as Caliente went from a jewel of the nudist world to a blemish. Originally developed by nudists who knew and understood the principals of wholesome nudist behavior, Caliente ownership changed several times from the original mid-nineties group to owners who were more interested in making a profit by whatever means neccessary, including affiliating with sexually oriented groups, a clear violation of nudist and AANR standards.

For those of us who have fought for years to transmit to the non-nudist public a positive healthy attitude about nudism and the nude human body, this action is a slap in the face. It is also a financial slap in the wallet to those who bought into the resort and spent their retirement funds to establish a permanent home there. Those individuals suddenly find themselves in a position of owning a home in a place that no longer reflects their standards and expectations.

While I am sure Caliente will continue to flourish as a resort, until the current policy changes, I will not recommend it as a destination for those who are looking for a nudist experience. While the glitz and glamor of Caliente is attractive, there are many nearby resorts that offer suitable facilities that are still offering what nudists are looking for in a peaceful, comfortable, non-sexual atmosphere. My congratulations to those other resorts and clubs who don’t feel the need to compromise their standards for a few extra dollars.

(more…)

July 11, 2008

Dear AANR Clubs and Participating Businesses,

AANR is the largest, strongest and most recognized advocate for nude recreation in the Americas. Together with our PR firm, Y Partnership, AANR has developed a highly effective media network. This relationship with the media provided the great article in the New York Times Sunday Travel section this spring and the recent mention in the AARP online newsletter’s Special Interest Travel video that provides suggestions for members who prefer to “vacation the natural way.” How much more credible can we get than AARP!!

AANR is the credible voice for nude recreation because, in part, we make a strong distinction between healthy mainstream nude recreation and any exploitation of the human body. AANR rejects any use of its name as a cover for sexually-exploitive purposes. This distinction has earned AANR the trust of government entities and the public. Local and state governments regularly draft and strengthen laws to deal with problematic behavior and they increasingly trust AANR clubs to be the credible voice for nude recreation because of our commitment to our principles.

AANR’s principles have served our Association well and observing them is critical to our continued credibility and effectiveness. Credibility is hard-won; it has taken many years and the investment of thousands of volunteer hours and many more thousands of dollars to achieve the reputation for high standards that we enjoy. You made a major decision to be an AANR chartered club. You chose to associate with AANR’s brand as the credible voice for nude recreation. And, importantly, as a chartered club you signed an agreement to operate within AANR’s standards and principles. You agreed to reject any attempt to associate the good name and reputation of AANR and wholesome social nudism with sexual exploitation. You agreed to maintain an atmosphere that is in keeping with the culture of this wholesome code of conduct.

As you may be aware, the AANR Board of Trustees recently voted to temporarily suspend the charter of Caliente. Caliente is a beautiful club with dedicated management, members and homeowners who feel strongly that their club should maintain its charter with AANR. However, there has been some concern over some of Caliente’s recent marketing strategies and their conflict with AANR’s principles. It is important to AANR’s continued credibility that all AANR chartered clubs embody our values. The suspension provides the time for a thorough investigation.
It also provides a period to rebuild and restore what AANR believes is a valuable business relationship; a relationship where clubs benefit from AANR’s years of public education and hard-won credibility, and AANR’s brand becomes stronger as clubs practice wholesome social nudism.

I thank you for your dedication to maintain our high standards and preserve the AANR brand. Should you ever have a question about these principles or your charter, my staff and I are prepared to assist you.

Sun-cerely,
Erich E. Schuttauf, Esq.
AANR Executive Director
Cc: AANR Officers and Trustees

The credible voice of reason for nude recreation since 1931.